Andhra Pradesh Govt Bans Students, Teachers From Using Mobile Phones Inside Classrooms – News18

The Andhra Pradesh government has prohibited the use of mobile phones in all schools. Students will not be permitted to bring mobile phones to school, as per the new instructions released by the School Education Department, reported Times Now.

Teachers have been previously instructed to leave their cell phones with the principal before entering the classrooms, but the orders were not being followed strictly. The embargo was issued, according to the department, to guarantee that there is no disturbance while teaching.

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Officials reportedly stated that the action was taken in compliance with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Global Education Monitoring Report.

In a recent meeting, Andhra Pradesh education minister Botcha Satyanarayana, along with a few officials from the school education department, discussed the impact of mobile phone use in classrooms and on school grounds. Orders have been issued to regulate the use of cell phones in all schools in AP in accordance with the UNESCO report 2023, education department officials said.

Teachers are directed to leave their cell phones with the headmaster (HM) or a custodian designated by the HM before entering the classroom, according to guidelines issued on August 28 by Commissioner of School Education S Suresh Kumar.

According to the new orders, teachers in Andhra Pradesh will be obliged to leave their cell phones on silent mode with the headmaster immediately after registering their attendance.

In addition, headmasters will take stringent measures to enforce the prohibition on cell phones in classrooms, The Hindu report adds. The government has also outlined the consequences for teachers who are caught using cell phones inside the classroom.

Officials have further warned that those (teachers and students) who disobey the orders will face disciplinary punishment.

Meanwhile, NTR District Education Officer (DEO), CV Renuka said that the orders would come into effect immediately.

The United Nations recently backed a ban on smartphones in schools, noting that one in every four countries has enacted such prohibitions, either as legislation or as a policy, out of concern for data privacy, safety, and the well-being of students.